The present invention relates to haying machines comprising at least two drums equipped at their lower part with a flexible skirt and with collectors distributed along their periphery in order to displace fodder plants lying on the ground.
Known machines of this type are perfectly suitable for operations such as wind-rowing, displacement or turning over of cut hay or for picking up fodder. In particular, they have the advantage of being able to contact the fodder plants softly and of not having metallic teeth in contact with the soil during operation.
These machines, however, are not yet able to ensure a hay tedding of good quality. For this operation it is necessary to turn over and spread well the fodder in order to suitably expose it to the sun.
The present invention has for its purpose to obviate this drawback.
To this effect, an important characteristic of the invention consists in providing on each machine means which raise said fodder plants into a zone situated between the drums in such a way as to bring them in contact with the collectors which ensure the hay tedding.
This raising brings the plants into the trajectory of the collectors which are fixed on the drums. These then have a sure hold on these cut plants which enables them to suitably spread them behind the machine.
Moreover, by virtue of this elevation whose height relative to the soil is equal to or greater than eight centimeters, the fodder plants are really turned over before falling back on the soil.
The means causing the lifting of the fodder plants advantageously are adjustable to different positions and/or detachable. They can thus be adapted to different working conditions. In addition, the machine can be used for other operations such as windrowing, moving or turning over of cut hay or for picking up.
According to another characteristic of the invention guiding elements preferably are also adjustable and/or detachable and are associated to these means. These elements direct the fodder plants to the sides in order to obtain a more uniform spreading. Moreover, they prevent the immediate falling back of the fodder on the ground as soon as they leave the skirts. This improves their contact with the collectors.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the collectors are pivoted in housings provided on the drums by means of shafts located in their extension or which are parallel thereto. These housings are directed toward a direction opposite the rotational direction of the corresponding drum and downwardly. This assembly makes it possible to adjust these collectors between at least two positions. In one of these positions the ends of the collectors which are directed towards the drums are practically tangential to the walls of these drums and their other extremities are practically radial. This position is selected for tedding. In the other position which is obtained by simply rotating around the pivoting shaft, they are entirely directed downwardly toward the direction opposed to the rotational direction. This position is suitable for wind rowing since it is less prone to damage the fodder plants.
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which represent by way of non-limiting examples various embodiments of the invention.